Markandey Katju, Pramod Kumar Jain, JJ. - (1.) THE respondents are granted one month's time to file counter affidavit. This petition is in the nature of Public Interest Litigation. There is a road called Kanpur Road in Allahabad over which heavy vehicles pass coming from the Grand Trunk Road, and the Kanpur Road joins the Thornhill Road on which heavy traffic goes via Jawaharlal Nehru Road towards the Shastri Bridge. On Kanpur Road, Thornhill Road and Jawaharlal Nehru Road and in their vicinity are situate a number of institutions. buildings, schools, university, offices, residential colonies etc. There is also a route from Naini to Phaphamau.
(2.) IN our opinion there is serious danger of accidents occurring on these routes because of the heavy traffic coming from Kanpur and going towards Banaras, and from Naini to Phaphamau which pass through the heart of the city. Several accidents have, in fact, taken place and some instances have been given by the petitioner in paragraph -6 of the petition. We are informed that some advocates, students and others have been killed/injured on these routes. We are of the opinion that the authorities concerned must provide a diversion so that the heavy traffic does not pass through the heart of the city but is diverted from outside the city so that there may be no danger to the life or limb of the citizens of Allahabad. This demand has been raised by the citizens of Allahabad since a long time but it is regrettable that the authorities concerned have not taken this issue seriously and have done nothing practically in this connection. Several lawyers of this Court informed us that it is a very difficult to enter into the High Court at 10.00 A.M. and exit at 4.00 P.M. because of the heavy traffic and congestion.
(3.) WE direct the authorities concerned to deal with the matter with a sense of urgency and put up concrete proposals before this Court so that some appropriate directions may be issued in this connection.;